Can I eat this? Dog vs. caterpillar edition
March 16, 2020 8:29 PM   Subscribe

In her haste to defend her humans, our dog may have licked this caterpillar-thing. Do you know what it is? Is it poisonous?

Our dog was going nuts over this little guy (link). Husband initially thought it was a worm, and I freaked a little because there are other caterpillars in our area that are for-sure venomous. He is now safely pitched out of the back yard. But I don’t know what this one is. Can anyone ID this and tell me if I need to spray our single rose bush or any of our trees to keep Miss Rosie from coming to harm?

Obligatory dog tax
posted by honeybee413 to Home & Garden (4 answers total)
 
Response by poster: Forgot to mention - we live in San Antonio, TX.
posted by honeybee413 at 8:36 PM on March 16, 2020


Could be a type of catocala. Fingers crossed, because it seems they’re not poisonous.
(P.S. I love Miss Rosie!)
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 9:21 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]


Seconding catocala, based on its grey/green back and pinkish undersides.
posted by satoshi at 9:28 PM on March 16, 2020


I’m not sure it’s an absolute rule, but on the whole poisonous caterpillars tend to be brightly coloured and/or hairy or bristly.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 2:11 AM on March 17, 2020 [2 favorites]


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